Muscat Festival

 

 

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Muscat Festival.  This is a month-long event that takes place every year.  It is a wonderful showplace for Omani culture, pageantry, and traditions.  There are lots of things happening, but I especially loved the chance to take pictures of some of the people.  This is a chance rarely given.  Here we see two boys stirring some Omani candy. 

 



 The mixture contains water, sugar, spices, coconut water, and a thickening agent. It is stirred over heat for about three hours. The finished product has the texture between a soft caramel and jello. Not bad.

 



Parts of the Muscat festival reminded me of an exotic county fair.

 



With camel rides.  These first few pictures were taken at the Naseem Park location.

 



 

The rest of the pictures were taken at Amerat, the site for the Omani Heritage Village.  The place was set up like a traditional village, with lots of tradespeople and a marketplace.  This woman is selling frankincense.  In case you didn't know, there are very few places in the world where frankincense trees grow.  The best comes from Oman!

 



This woman is selling hand-painted frankincense burners.  You place charcoal on the bottom and light it.  Then you can toss the frankincense nuggets on top.

 



Basket weaver

 



 

 It was amazing to see these men make the fishing nets.  It reminded me of tatting lace.

 



There were several room displays set up like this.  I assume this is just a gathering of friends.  Not really sure.  It is hard to tell with the lighting, but their dishdashas are all pale blue.  Dishdashas do come in many colors, but white is by far the most popular.

 



 

 My favorite room was the one with the children in their traditional dress.  So colorful!

 



 

Here is a group of boys studying the Quran.

 



 

This young girl was very popular with the photographers.  I tried to get a picture from a better angle, but tired of waiting.

 



 

No waiting required for the ox.  :)

 



 

I never tire of seeing the mountains in the background.

 



These men were doing a ceremonial chant and dance.  They used the canes as props.



 

Another fishing net maker.

 



 

Here is my new friend.  Actually, he was one of the performers in the next two pictures.  This performance was more of a military march.

 



Here are several Omani women selling food.  They are dressed more colorfully.  Many of the women I see out and about in Muscat are all in black.

 



 

Here is a mock Bedouin camp.

 



I couldn't resist taking a picture of a boy and his camel.

 



 

Well, this sign really has nothing to do with the Muscat Festival, other than that is where I took the picture.  I just LOVE this slogan for the Ministry of Tourism.

 

I hope y'all enjoyed seeing some of the faces of Oman!